Sir Keir has appointed Angela Rayner, who won the contest to be Labour's deputy leader, as shadow first secretary of state. She will also deputise for him at Prime Minister's Questions and in other key functions.

'Next election'

Sir Keir said: "This is a new team that will take the Labour Party forward in a new era.

"Under my leadership, the Labour Party will be utterly focused on working in the national interest, rebuilding people's trust in our party and winning the next election."

Earlier this week, Sir Keir appointed former Labour leader Ed Miliband to his new shadow cabinet and named leadership rival Lisa Nandy as his shadow foreign secretary.

Sir Keir won the Labour leadership contest last Saturday, beating Ms Nandy and Rebecca Long-Bailey to the role by a convincing margin.

He has appointed Ms Long-Bailey - a leading figure on the left of the party and a key ally of Mr Corbyn - as shadow education secretary.

Nick Thomas-Symonds - the shadow solicitor general - was promoted to the role of shadow home secretary.

'Business support'

Anneliese Dodds was promoted to shadow chancellor, after serving in a junior role under John McDonnell, who has quit the frontbench.

Pat McFadden - a minister under Gordon Brown, sacked by Mr Corbyn from his shadow team - has been made shadow economic secretary.

Wes Streeting, one of Mr Corbyn's most vocal critics, has been promoted to shadow exchequer secretary, a junior role on the shadow Treasury team.

Ms Dodds has, meanwhile, written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, following a meeting with him, to offer to work constructively to "prevent further damage to jobs and incomes" and "provide the public and businesses with the support they need".

In her letter, she highlighted concerns about some employers failing to furlough employees, and the apparently low take-up of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

She also called on the government to increase international coordination to prevent widespread bankruptcies and barriers to trade.